Former Indian women’s hockey team captain Waikhom Suraj Lata Devi has filed a complaint of domestic violence, physical harassment and mental torture against her husband Shanta Singh.
Surajlata, 39, said in a press conference on Wednesday, that she was subjected to harassment by her husband from the time they got married back in 2005. She also clearly stated that dowry was the main reason. The former India skipper who was conferred with the Arjuna Award in 2003, alleged that her husband Shanta Kumar, who is an ex-employee of Western Railway-Mumbai, tied her up and thrashed her mercilessly for nearly three hours in an intoxicated state.
Explaining the reason behind the incident the former India skipper said that her husband was demanding a piece of land due to which he had subjected her to physical and mental torture. She further added that her husband was also persuaded her to take voluntary retirement from the post of office superintendent at Western Railway, Mumbai.
Further, the 2014 Asian games gold medal winner said,
“My husband Shanta Singh ridiculed me when I brought all the medals and photos that I had won on the day of my marriage and had remarked what use would it serve?” He also accused her of having won the Arjuna Award because of her “immoral behavior”, Suraj Lata alleged.
Suraj Lata further went on to say that initially, she believed that things would change and so would her husband. She also said that she never wanted these things to come out in public. However, the former India captain, mother of two, finally decided to take the legal route after her husband brutally assaulted her at Kapurthala in Punjab in November 2019 where she was officiating at a tournament.
“I never wanted the matter to become public. However, there is always a limit to someone’s patience and tolerance,” she said.
It is to be noted that Suraj Lata Devi had led the Indian women’s hockey team to win three gold medals in the 2002 Commonwealth Games, an event that inspired making of Bollywood film ‘Chak De India’, the 2003 Afro-Asian Games, and the 2004 Hockey Asia Cup.
